Kamen Joshi member Nanaka Kawamura won her mixed martial arts match at the Deep Jewels 18 fighting event on December 3.

Kawamura is the first active idol to participate in this type of athletic contest in the history of the Japanese idol genre. After six months of training, Kawamura pushed herself to reach her target weight of under 48kg to compete in the atomweight division while still maintaining her performance and promotion schedule with Kamen Joshi.

Check out Kawamura’s training regiment (video):

Kamen Joshi presented a special musical performance before the match, and then Kawamura entered the ring in her fighting outfit, mask, and chainsaw. After removing her mask, she began the intense and brutal fight, winning the judges’ decision after two rounds of punching, kicking, and physical takedowns.

After the match, Kawamura gave a speech from the ring, proclaiming that fighting sports are not to be laughed at, and the she will continue to train and respect mixed martial arts competitions.

With over 1,000 performances per year, Kamen Joshi has brought landmark achievements to the idol world:
• 2.9 million Facebook followers (highest number in the idol genre)
• First independent female artist to achieve number 1 on Oricon Singles chart
• Performances at Saitama Super Arena and Budokan
• Official Ambassador of Tourism for Akihabara
• Japan Ministry of Justice Ambassador for Public Relations

Spawned from performers who were rejected by other agencies, Kamen Joshi includes four separate groups with their own distinct images and sounds – Alice Juban (horror), Steam Girls (steampunk), Armor Girls (medieval), and Easter Girls (ska).

In an era where an idol’s identity is synonymous with her looks, the girls of Kamen Joshi rebel against the rules of the entertainment world to establish a new generation of idols. They are rising up with the support of their fans to find revenge in success. Without perfect performances or relying on “kawaii” looks, Kamen Joshi breaks boundaries with hardcore, high-energy performances and wild, unpredictable staging.